Option for managers! - reduced coverage daysIn addition, managers and supervisors are encouraged to approve employee requests to voluntarily take additional leave time Monday through Friday, December 18-22, or Tuesday through Friday, January 2-5 so that staff can plan for an extended break from campus job responsibilities. Reducing coverage when possible allows staff to take advantage of the winter break to rest and recharge while most of the students and faculty are away!

Important: If departments choose to close to the public during the periods of December 18-22 or January 2-5, arrangements should be made to allow employees who want to work on those days to do so.

Use vacation leave accruals. Any employee who earns vacation leave, but does not have sufficient accrued vacation leave to cover the two-day closure period, may use up to two days of vacation leave in advance of accrual to cover the closure days. This year there are only two closure days.

Take Leave Without Pay (LWOP). Managers will want to consider the impact of LWOP, particularly for part-time employees. For example, an employee in a half-time appointment who takes a LWOP may lose eligibility for certain benefits and/or holiday pay.

Use other leaves if applicable. In most situations, Sick and Administrative Leave provisions are not intended for this purpose and should not be used to cover the closure period. An exception should be made for the employee who has been approved for extended sick leave due to serious illness or injury when the approved leave includes the closure period.

Voluntarily adjust their work schedule. Departments may offer to adjust a work schedule for a part-time, non-exempt employee so that the employee satisfies the working hours appropriate to the appointment level, prior to the closure period. For example, an employee with a half-time appointment who works four hours a day could work one eight-hour day earlier in December. Please have employees confirm in writing that any such changes in schedule are voluntary.

What should managers and supervisors do?

Check maximum vacation accrual leave balances to ensure that employees avoid reaching the allowable maximum. The holiday closure period is a convenient time for staff to use these hours.

Decide what coverage your unit needs on reduced staffing days. Help employees plan ahead for reduced staffing days by determining who wants to continue working on those days and making alternate work arrangements if needed.

If departments require staff employees to work on any of the closure days (December 27-28, 2017), the time should be counted as regular hours of work for that day.